In Spite of How Little We Know
by inthecompanyoflove
Summary: Will and Emma begin their relationship from where "Sectionals" left off, but not without lots of fluff, awkward encounters with the Glee kids, and a smack down! Ch6 posted: Someone needs to talk with "M&M"...
1. Chapter 1

-1Confusion.

Albeit understandable, this expression was not exactly comforting to Will Shuester as he looked in the eyes of his friend, coworker, and - he could barely believe it - love interest, Emma Pillsbury.

He had it all worked out in his head. The Glee kids were singing that song about life and it sucking without someone - and they were darn good at it, too - and instead of an attractive blond filling his mind, he could only think of one thing - the biggest doe eyes he had ever seen in his entire life; including not only humans, but also animals… regardless, those eyes consumed his brain and he knew he had to see them again.

He felt like he was in a movie. He made it to her office - empty, of course. Perfectly clean… the only trace of her ever being there was the smell of Lysol. He stopped to let it sink in, to seep into his pores, to cherish something that now he couldn't even see a bottle of without thinking of her. For a second, he thought it might be the last memory of her he would ever attain…

But bam. The kid's singing filled his head once again and he off. He sped down the hallway as though he didn't spend his high school afternoons in the Glee Club, but rather on the Track Team - he felt smooth, powerful, day he say, _swift _- as he sped down the hallways of McKinley High School. He saw her slim form in front of the windows, her green jacket illuminated by the light. Her red hair was perfectly curled around her face, and he thought of Christmas. Christmas with her…

He saw her hesitation. After all, he had _just_ left his wife. Those words rung in his head and had since she said them the day before. But hesitation or not, he was going to go for it…

And go for it he did.

She reciprocated in kind, her soft lips embracing his with the sweet smell of spearmint gum still fresh on her breath. There was no tongue - damn conventions,- but he was willing to bet her perfectly brushed teeth and tongue were just as minty and refreshing.

Refreshing. That's what Emma was to him. She replenished a hope that Terri had long since extinguished in him.

Pulling apart, he smiled at her, his brown eyes warm with hope. She gave him back a small smile, and then it happened… the confusion.

"You… Are you alright, Em?" He asked quietly, his voice catching on her name. _When did I start calling her Em? _He thought to himself… _Pet names already?_

Nodding, she blinked several times and focused her eyes on his chin. "Y-Yes… I mean, I mean.. No… I mean.." Her voice trailed off and he realized that tears were brimming around her eyes.

Reaching out, he placed a hand gently on her shoulder, feeling the soft fabric beneath his fingers. "Emma," he started again, keeping his voice low and, he hoped, soothing. "Emma, please look at me."

Sniffling, she glanced back up at him and was amazed at how close their foreheads were again, how close his lips were to hers…

"Emma, I didn't mean to upset you…" _This is it, _he thought, _I really messed up. I should have listened to her the first time, I shouldn't have pushed it…_

Shaking her head, she stepped backwards, the warmth from her tiny form disappearing and making him feel even more empty. "No, Will, you didn't upset me…" She was trying not to cry again, wiping away her tears with her own fingers.

He wanted desperately to reach over and clear them off himself, but he restrained himself. _She doesn't want me doing that, _he told himself, _she doesn't want someone like me touching her._

Clearing her throat, she tried to articulate what she was feeling, but couldn't seem to get the words out. When she finally spoke again, her voice was barely above a whisper. "Will…"

Leaning closer, he prompted her, "Yeah, Emma? I'm sorry, I can barely hear you.."

Closing the space between them, she pressed her lips to his, setting off an explosion of feelings in his heart. Pressing her against him, Will wrapped his arms around her slim back and cherished the moment, amazed that it was happening at all. _This is what I've been waiting for… _His mind proclaimed, causing him to smile through the kiss.

"Um.. Excuse me, Mr. Shuester?"

It could only be one person - only one person would interrupt a moment like this, he knew.

Rachel.

Immediately separating, Emma and Will stared at Rachel with wild eyes. "Yeah, Rachel? What's up?" He replied, trying to sound casual, clapping his hands together.

"I… I, umm…" Even Rachel felt the tension of the situation and didn't know what to do. _Maybe this was a bad decision, _she thought, watching the heat rise in Ms. Pillbury's face until it matched the color of her hair. "I can um… I can talk to you later…" She trailed off, moving her eyes to their feet.

"No, No, Rach, there's no problem… What's up?" Will pushed, glancing between Emma and his student. Emma, he noted, had taken a great interest in examining her fingernails, which he knew were perfectly filed already, because, well, she was Emma.

This time, Rachel began speaking very quickly. "You know, Mr. Shuester, and Ms. Pillsbury, you too, I'm really, really sorry to have interrupted… interrupted whatever was going on - and don't worry, I have two gay fathers so I'm very open to all kinds of relationships, even between staff members, oh, but Ms. Pillsbury, you're not really a staff member anymore, are you? Or is that going to change - "

"You know, Rach, I think the Glee Club really misses you right now… Where I've been, uh, distracted lately, I think they've all really appreciated you being a leader to them." Seeing her eyes and smile widen, Will thought he was on the right track. "Did you want to ask me something about the Glee Club or…?"

Shaking her head, Rachel knew it was time to come out with the truth. "No, not really… It's just, well, yes… Finn and Puck have been fighting again and well… Puck tried to shove the trophy into a somewhat inappropriate place…"

* * *

Hey everyone, this is my first fanfic in a while and my first time writing for Glee. I love Emma and Will together and posted this short first chapter as a continuation of the end of Season One. If anyone's interested, let me know, because I'm definitely willing to keep writing if there's call for it! J


	2. Chapter 2

Will waited until he saw Rachel walk back down the otherwise empty hallway, stumble slightly over one of her heels, and turn down the next corridor. As the clicking sound of her heels disappeared, Will finally looked back over at Emma.

She was still inspecting her fingernails. Very, very precisely.

Clearing his throat a bit, Will nodded towards Emma and shifted awkwardly on his feet. "Hey, uh… Emma?"

Fidgeting a bit, she glanced up at him, her eyes still wide as saucers. "Yes, Will?" Her voice was quick and sharp, unable to hide her nerves.

Offering her a small smile, Will stepped closer to her and reached his hand out to her shoulder. "Emma… Emma, are you alright?" His voice was soft and smooth again, feeling like a new bottle of disinfectant to her ears.

Emma released a small sigh and nodded, but avoided meeting his eyes. He waited a few moments for her to speak, and when she didn't, he leaned closer so their foreheads were nearly touching. "Emma?" This time, his voice was barely above a whisper.

Sucking in a deep breath, Emma darted her eyes upward and Will smiled at their familiar shade of brown. I didn't know I had loved those eyes for so long… He thought, unable to hide his happiness at the thought of her.

But then something happened that wiped the smile clear off his face.

She was crying. Again.

This time both of arms went around her shoulders and he pressed her against his chest, hoping she wouldn't pull away. "Emma, Emma, what is it… Talk to me," he whispered into her flames of red hair, trying to sooth her.

Gasping to catch her breath, Emma only buried her face further into Will's chest. The possibility of germs lingering on the fabric crossed her mind, but she was too hysterical to get any more upset about it. Pulling back her face a few inches, Emma began gasping and shaking her head from left to right.

"Will… Will…" Her words came out in short gasps and at a pitch so high Will was almost impressed.

"Emma...Emma…" He replied, arms still wrapped around her. Are we ever going to get beyond our names? He thought, looking up and down the corridors to make sure they were still empty.

"I… I…I am so…" She tried desperately to sputter out her words, and Will was watching her face as intently as possible. And then, he saw it…

That fateful quiver. Emma Pillsbury, amidst all of her hysteria, was going to sneeze.

Will's brain went into prevention mode. Slipping one hand from her shoulder, down her arm, and across her quivering hand, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a crumpled Kleenex. _Thank God_, he thought, quickly moving the tissue up to Emma's pale face.

"Ahhhh….Ahhhh…. Ahhh….. Shew!" Emma's entire body flew forward, her eyes wide open, and sneezed clear away into Will's outstretched tissue.

Pinching his fingers lightly together, Will rubbed the tissue a bit under her nostrils, then pulled it away and smiled at Emma's shocked expression. "No big deal at all," he said lightly, rumpling it up and tossing it into a nearby trashcan. Looking back at Emma, he continued to smile expectantly and waited for her response.

Emma continued staring back, her face frozen as it had been during the sneeze.

"…Emma…?" Will continued staring into Emma's enormous eyes, but at this point, he was becoming a bit concerned. _Oh jesus_…

Tentatively, he a hand out and stroked her cheek with his fingertips. "Em-"

"Oh, Will!" Leaping forward Emma wrapped her arms around Will's neck and pressed herself again him. "Oh, oh, Will… I'm… I'm so happy," she sobbed again, grinning up at him through her tears. "I've never been so happy!"

Will looked back down into her eyes in an amused wonder. "I'm really happy too, Emma." Leaning down he curved his mouth to meet hers and relished in the sensation of her soft lips. He could taste the saltiness of her tears still lingering on her lips and he felt his heart break a little. _At least they're happy tears_… He thought, promising to himself that he would never make her cry real tears.

"I've never… I've never…" She continued gasping for breath, her wide eyes beaming with happiness through her tears. He grinned down at her and laughed a little, reaching behind her and stroking her red locks. _I've never felt hair this soft before_…

"I know, Em, I feel the same way," he said gently, twisting a lock around his finger. He sighed and continued to smile, amazed at the route his life was taking. "I'm really, really happy right now," he whispered, pressing his lips against her porcelain forehead.

Letting out a quiet sigh, Emma smiled too and sniffled her nose a bit. "You know, Will," she said softly, slowly reaching out to grasp his other hand in her own, "you know, I've never let someone wipe my nose before." She grinned up at him, her eyes brimming with warmth.

Chuckling, Will rolled his eyes and grinned back. "I'm glad to see you smiling instead of crying, Em," he said, stopping to give her a quick kiss on the lips. Lowering his voice again, he whispered into her ear, "Seeing you cry made me want to cry, too. And that's no good."

Blushing, Emma giggled and leaned forward on her tiptoes. "I don't think you'll ever make me cry again," she whispered, her smile showing in her voice.

"Again?" He joked lightly, trying to control the shiver that went through his spine when her lips were so close to his.

Lowering her eyes, Emma let out a small breath before replying. "I…. I… I had a hard time these past few months, Will." She paused and glanced back up at him, a tiny bit of hurt in her big brown eyes. "It… It was hard for me, everything with Ken… everything with Ken and you.." at this point, her voice lowered into a barely audible whisper.

Pressing her back into his chest, Will shut his eyes. "I know… I know, Em. I never wanted to hurt you, not ever, not once…" He rubbed the small of her back and hoped he was comforting her in some small way. "You're really important to me, Emma. I promise, I'll never make you cry like that again."

Leaning upward, Emma brushed her lips across his neck and he again had to restrain his shivers. "You're important to me, too, Will." She paused again, and then pulled back and looked around the empty hallway. "I… I should probably get my things out of here… I think the janitors arrive soon and I wanted to double check to make sure my office is completely disinfected…" Her voice trailed off and she blushed again, looking at him shyly.

Will bent down to pick up her box and clasped it in front of his chest. "Well, we'll certainly get this out of here, but I don't want you unpacking it." He grinned at her confused smile and continued, "First thing tomorrow morning, we're going to get you your job back."

Walking down the hallway, Emma couldn't believe her incredible luck. _Could this be… Could this be the way my life is turning out? How could I be this lucky? _

"So, Emma, I've been wanting to ask you…" Will turned to her, suddenly feeling shyer. _How would she react to him actually mentioning it_? "I um.. I was just wondering if…"

Feeling her heart rise, Emma suddenly felt empowered. She stopped mid step and turned to face Will, her grin spreading so wide that Will couldn't help but smile back.

"I would love to, Will." She said proudly, her soft curls flipping around her face. "I refuse to have it any other way."

At this, Will no longer looked happy. The control drained from his face a bit, and he stood there, holding the box out awkwardly in front of him.

"Oh, I see…"

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Thanks for all the great reviews you guys! I have (in my own little head) a fantastic next chapter coming if you guys are interested! Please, please review and tell me what you think - tell me what you think will happen next and I'll let you know who's right in the next update!


	3. Chapter 3

At this, Emma's face fell too. "Isn't… isn't that what you want too, Will?" Her voice shook and she mimicked Will's awkward shifting. _I knew it was too good to be true._

Memories of recent nights spent without touching Terri, with her body curled away from him like a frightened child, immediately plummeted his brain. Terri was his first love and he could still remember those nights they spent together as teenagers, wrapped up in each other, with such comfort and security. He shivered. He didn't know if he could ever go back to that distance….

"Will?" Emma's voice was high again, showing her nerves. She realized she was ringing her hands and reached up to adjust her hat, skewing it to the other side. This action tugged at Will's heart with no restraint.

Shaking his head slowly, Will offered her a tiny smile. "Emma…Emma… I don't know if I can do that… I…" His voice broke and he looked down at his shoes, ashamed at his weakness. _She's worth the sacrifice, _he told himself, but he couldn't stop his heart from dropping, I thought _I could change that in her…_

Emma too stared at her shoes, her round toe heels that glimmered against the dingy floor of McKinley High School. Fleetingly, she remembered that she needed to buy new shoe polish soon. Gasping, she bit down hard on her bottom lip, and shut her eyes, willing the tears back. _Clearly, Emma, this could never be what he wants…_

The silence was incredible.

Until he heard her start to cry. Again.

_Damnit Will, it's been less than ten minutes and you're already making her cry_, he thought, and slowly put down Emma's box of belongings. Peeking in, his eyes caught on several fresh bottles of hand sanitizer, still tight in their original packaging. His heart was suck in his mouth - _She wasn't planning on leaving any time soon… She's leaving because of my mistakes… _Hearing her choke back a sob, Will quickly straightened up and reached out to her.

"Emma, please, don't cry," he whispered, reaching a long finger out to catch one of her tears. It slipped down her porcelain skin and he caught it just before it landed on her top lip. He saw her pause and her eyes darted up towards his, glimmering with tears. Leaning his face closer to hers, he concentrated on her eyes and could almost count the tears caught in the biggest brown orbs he had ever seen. As heartbroken as she was, he knew Terri's eyes had held less aching than Emma's did. _This is what I need_, he thought, but wondered if she trusted him enough to let him have it.

"Em.." He started again, his voice catching on her nickname. He remembered the night she found him cleaning after school, how she let him touch her nose, so gingerly and slowly, and the trust he saw in her eyes. But can I ever earn more than that from her? He had to ask.

"Em, I- I'm so sorry, and I never meant to upset you… Again." He paused as she sniffled and wished he had another tissue for her. "Em, I'm crazy for you, but…" His voice trailed off and he shut his eyes, wishing him away from himself.

A fingertip on his cheek brought him back to reality.

"But… You just left your wife. I understand, Will, I really do." Emma's voice was calmer now, and more controlled, as she forced herself back into counselor mode. _His behavior is typical of those in his position, you know that_, she reasoned to herself, _what were you thinking?_

Shaking his head, Will frowned. _Did she misunderstand me? _He wondered, his heart skipping a beat.

"It's not that Em…It's not about that at all… it's about _us_," he spoke slowly, barely able to force the words out.

Nodding, Emma found herself numb and leaned down to gather her box. "I… I'm sorry Will, but I need to go now." _This is it, Emma_, she told herself, feeling her fingers curl around the cardboard edges.

Will acted before even he realized what he was doing. He spun around behind her and leaned down, encasing her slim body against his own. His arms reached around hers and he gently pried the box from her fingers. He pressed his face into her hair, savoring her lavender scent. "Emma," he whispered, his eyes squeezed shut. "Emma, _this_ is what I need."

Her breath caught in her throat and Emma couldn't speak. Emma Pillsbury _hated_ being touched by anyone. Throughout her entire courtship with Ken, they never got passed a hug for longer than 4.2 seconds, and even then she was chewing on her tongue the entire time. But this… _this _was different. Will felt warm and secure and his breath felt cool and welcomed against her hair.

"This is what I need, Emma…" Turning her around in his arms, they were pressed chest to chest again and he looked into her eyes, still filled with tears and confusion and an emotion he couldn't identify, couldn't let himself hope for…

"Will… I.. I need this too," Emma whispered back, timidly squeezing his forearms. _What is going on in your head, Will? _Emma thought, but dared not voice.

Hope soared through Will's chest and a smile broke across his face. "You… You do? But I thought you said…"

"Said what?"

"I thought you said… you wouldn't have it any other way… I thought you meant…" Will fumble over his words, so nervous and again unsure. "I was asking if you… if you could overcome what happened with Ken… if, if this time you'd be more comfortable, if we didn't take separate cars, if we could be open about us, if you'd let me touch you and enjoy it…" His voice trailed off and he saw Emma's expression morph from confusion, to surprise, to tenderness.

Lowering his voice, Will locked his eyes with Emma and knew what he needed to get off his chest. "I can't do this unless it's all the way, Em…I know you're scared, but I can't have part of you without having all of you. I need you to let me love you, Emma."

Vigorously nodding her head, Emma leaned up and kissed him lightly on the lips, enjoying how smooth and plump they were. Leaning her cheek against his, Emma stood on her tiptoes and released a tiny sigh of relief. "I… I am scared, Will, I really am, but…" pressing her lips to his cheek she couldn't help but smile, standing there in the middle of the corridor with Will wrapped around her, her numerous unopened bottles of sanitizer boxed up by her feet, "I'm ready to do this. I… I'm ready to love you the way you deserve."

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I can't believe how many hits my story got already! I'm really pleased and surprised. Some of you even added it to your favorites/alerts, which I wasn't expecting at all. However, because so many people are reading but not reviewing, I'm going to ask for **seven **more reviews before I post the next chapter. If you don't like the story, please, tell me, and if you have ideas, please, tell me. I'm not asking for praise, but my writing is important to me and I haven't written FF in a long time, so I'm rusty! I know there are a lot of Will/Emma stories out there now but I appreciate all critiques! J


	4. Chapter 4

-1"Guys, we have a serious situation."

Rachel Berry's brown eyes darted from each face of her fellow Glee clubbers. Kurt and Mercedes sat side by side and their nodding in unison affirmed their agreement with Rachel's statement. Rachel's eyes scanned the next few members who all looked - to her great irritation - at her with blank stares. Her eyes fell on Brittany who was tightening her pony tail, Santana who was texting - _sexting? _- and Quinn who sat a little away from the rest, but was at least looking at Rachel. Puck sat a few feet behind Quinn, sprawled back in his chair and offered Rachel a nod. Finn was nowhere to be seen.

Standing in Mr. Sheuster's usual spot in front of the group, Rachel felt a surge of pride_. I love standing a place where my authority is inarguable_, she thought, unable to resist a smile at her own feelings. _But, I have to be professional about this - Mr. Sheuster and Ms. Pillsbury need us._

"Now, guys, we all noticed Mr. Sheuster fleed from the room on Monday." Rachel began repeating the same information she had previously stated twice in person, once ambiguously as a twitter update, and three times via email to the group. "I told you all what I saw when I followed him - he and Miss. Pillsbury were… in an intimate embrace in the hallway. I interrupted, then made myself scarce -"

"Hey," Puck interrupted, meeting her eyes. "What exactly did you say when you walked in on them, anyway?"

"Uh…. Nothing, I just uhh…" Faltering, Rachel shook her head and adjusted her pink and white polka dot cardigan. "Let's not focus on the unimportant," Rachel said quickly, flipping her glossy brown hair over her shoulders. "The important matter at hand is what we're going to do about Mr. Sheu and his… relationship." The word tasted a little bitter on Rachel's tongue, but her infatuation with Mr. Sheu was over… for the most part.

"I don't see why we need to intervene," Quinn spoke up quietly. "I don't know why we can't just… let them be."

Sighing, Rachel had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. Clearly, her peers didn't understand the magnitude of the situation. "Guys, neither of them showed up for work today -"

"Yeah, but didn't Miss. P quit? I heard Figgans is already looking to hire someone new," said Santana, not removing her eyes from the screen of her phone.

"If I had that fire crotch in bed, I wouldn't come to work eith-" Puck started, but immediately stopped when he got dirty looks from both Santana and Quinn.

"It's not about that," Rachel snapped. "I could care less about their personal relationships so long as they don't interfere with Glee." Rachel began to pace now, her gray pleated skirt bouncing around her lower thighs. "I can dismiss almost everything in a person, but I _cannot _dismiss any behavior which will lead us to lose in Regionals."

"See, Rachel, that's where we dissent," Kurt chimed in, shooting Mercedes a knowing smile. "We _are_ interested in their personal relationships… Good gossip is good gossip!" This brought a chorus of good-natured laughter, which even Rachel had to smile at. She knew there was a lot of tension in the club, and she knew everyone thought she was just an over achiever whose _sole _interest was to succeed… which was mostly true, but a part of her was _positive_ that her peers would benefit from focusing on a relationship that wasn't centered in the club itself.

***

Stretching her arms above her head, Emma squeezed her eyes shut while she yawned. She arched her lower back perfectly, causing a sharp crack to shoot up her spine. Blinking open her eyes, she glanced over at her alarm clock - 10:10 AM on the dot. _It is pretty nice to not have to wake up for anyth- _

"Morning, Em."

Screaming, Emma dove under her covers. She tried to stop herself from hyperventilating when she registered who the voice belonged to… then she continued hiding under her blankets from embarrassment.

"Em?" Will tried to keep the laughter out of his voice as he peeled back several layers of blankets, his eyes darting across the blue pastel patterns of tiny flowers. Tentatively, he came to the last sheet, and peeked his head under.

Emma's enormous eyes looked back at him.

"Hi, Will." She squeaked out, pushing her messy locks back behind her ears. "I, uh… I uh… somehow forgot you were, um, here.."

"I know, Em, I figured that…" He smiled at her so warmly, Emma felt a deep blush rise in her fair skin. _How can he even stand me? _She thought, darting her eyes down to the bed.

"Hey," he said in a loud whisper, "is there room for two under here?" Emma's bed was a queen size, although her tiny frame barely merited a twin. He knew there was more than enough room under Emma's covers - he just didn't know if she wanted him filling it.

"Of course there is, Will," she whispered back, quickly moving to the other end of the bed. Will hesitated - _was she being sincere? _But when she smiled shyly up at him, it was all the reassurance he needed.

Sliding under the covers with her, Will laid flat on his back and stretched a hand out to her, beckoning her closer. He knew Emma's eyes were on him, but he shut his. He wanted her to do this on her own.

Timidly, Emma inched over to Will. She was nervous - she had never actually shared a bed with a man before, never having felt comfortable enough with a man to spend the night at his place or vice-versa. Lying flat on her back, Emma released an almost inaudible sigh of relief. _There, done. _She felt quite satisfied with herself.

Cracking open one eye, Will watched Emma's big ones looking up at him. "Comfy?" He asked quietly, moving his hand over to graze over hers. He was happy to feel her slender fingers grasp onto his and return the squeeze.

"Very much so," Emma said, relishing in the feeling of his skin beneath hers. She liked that his hands were so long; it made hers feel even more delicate than they already were.

"You slept in late today," Will commented lightly, stroking her palm with his fingertips.

"I, I know… it's very unlike me," Emma said quickly, not even able to remember the last time she had slept in so late. "What did you do all morning?" She asked, suddenly feeling like a bad hostess.

"Oh, you know… Cleaned up, made us some breakfast… watched you sleep," Will let out a low chuckle when he heard Emma's gasp of indignation. "Hey, don't worry about that… Somehow, you're even more adorable with bed hair.." At this, Emma swatted at him playfully, and Will wrapped his arms around her, causing them to tumble over in the bed.

"Oh!" Emma squealed, clinging onto the fabric of Will's wintergreen t-shirt. Her nose pressed into his chest and she breathed in deeply, incredibly pleased to recognize the cherry blossom scent of the body wash she left in the bathroom for guests. Landing on his back, Will kept Emma close to him, so their faces were nearly touching. "Even more adorable.." he repeated softly, curling one arm around her back.

Emma held his stare for a long few moments, and Will was _so _sure she was about to initiate a kiss, but shyness got the best of her, so she nestled her face into his chest, instead. "Did you sleep alright, Will?" She asked softly, too unsure of herself to kiss him, but loving the feeling of him so close too much to roll off of him completely.

"I did; the cot is much, much more comfortable than you made it out to be," Will answered truthfully. He and Emma had debated about who was sleeping where for nearly an hour when they arrived back at her small condo. It was a one-bedroom, and Emma had a cot in case she ever had an overnight guest, but the only place for it was against a wall in Emma's bedroom. "I've never really had a guest stay over…" Emma had explained quietly, too embarrassed to meet Will's eyes. He reassured her with a kiss on the forehead.

"I can't believe I slept in so late…" Emma muttered, still amazed at herself.

Will grinned and gave her a quick peck on the lips, at which she turned bright pink. "Hey, don't worry about it… Today is a day for rest. We'll go see Figgans tomorrow, okay?" Will was perfectly confident Emma would get her job back without a hassle - after all, despite her own phobias, Emma was well-liked by the students and very qualified for the position.

"Oh! Will, I completely forgot… Why… Why didn't you go in today?" Emma turned a darker shade of red, embarrassed at how caught up in her own thoughts she had been since Will came back with her after they left McKinley. _How could I be so selfish? _She scolded herself internally.

"I called in sick today - we'll consider it an unexpected holiday for Sue," Will laughed, pecking her again, but this time on the tip of her nose. "We can consider it a holiday for us, too," he whispered, and loved seeing Emma's eyes light up.

"Every day with you is a holiday, Will," she whispered before she could stop herself.

Tilting her chin upwards, Will stared into her eyes for a long moment before speaking. "Then you're the best present I could ask for," he whispered back, and their lips met together in a mutual kiss.

* * *

Hey everyone! This chapter was mostly filler for the plot, so I'm sorry if it was boring. I can't believe how quickly I got so many reviews! I honestly was expecting to wait a week or so before posting the next chapter but wow, you guys are great! I checked the story stats and they've almost _doubled_ since I posted the first chapter, which is nuts. Because of this, I'm asking for **ten** reviews for the next chapter… I'm already writing it, so don't let me down, guys! Also, how do you feel about my characterization so far?


	5. Chapter 5

-1The locker rooms of McKinley High School were not a place Emma Pillsbury enjoyed being. They were always dirty - layers of dirt caked the floor no matter how many times the janitor mopped and the nauseating stench of sweat and filth burned the hairs out of most people's nostrils. None of these factors remotely helped her relationship with Ken Tanaka. However, Finn Hudson, was not the kind of guy to mind this. In fact, the locker room was one of his favorite places to be, because the locker room came before and after football, and he really liked football. And this would, indeed, be a point of interest between himself and Ken.

These are all reasons why Emma wouldn't be in the locker room and Finn would be. But, one thing is off - football season is over.

Finn was in the locker room, but without the rest of his team. The school day was over and he knew everyone else was at Glee practice, and in truth, he felt guilty for skipping. He had come through for Sectionals, but he didn't know if he could keep going to practices… it hurt too much to think about when he was alone, much less when he was in the room with both of them… His best girlfriend and girl friend. When did his best friend become his girl friend's boy friend? It was all so messed up.

Finn, however, was not alone. He had spent most of his afternoon alone - he changed, stretched, went for a run around the field, did some push ups, some crunches… he knew he'd be making the Coach proud if he was there to see it. What Finn didn't realize at the time was that Coach Ken Tanaka was there and was waiting to talk to him.

Sitting on a bench in the locker room, Finn looked at Ken quizzically. "What's up, Coach?" He asked.

Sighing, Ken settled perched one foot up on the red bench, making his snug blue shorts stretch even tighter across his buttocks. "Finn," he started slowly, trying to catch the boy's eyes. "I know I'm not the… the uh, the most emotionally available person you could go to… but I think we have something in common and I want you to know I understand where you're coming from." Ken paused to gauge Finn's understanding.

The pause was long, and then Finn nodded awkwardly before speaking. "What.. What do you mean by that, Coach?"

"Son, I heard about what happened between you, that girl, and your friend.. Now I try not to hold judgments against any students here, especially those on my team, but I've had a lot on my mind lately and I want you to know that you're not alone in your situation…" His voice trailed off and he looked up into space, his eyes glazing over for a second. "Son, I'm in almost the same exact spot you are…" He started empathetically, clasping his hands together over his raised knee. "My best friend betrayed me, the woman of my dreams stomped all over my heart with her tiny, pointed heels…" He trailed off again and his eyes misted a bit.

Feeling very, very uncomfortable Finn had a suspicion of what his Coach was referring to, but decided to bear on with caution. "Coach…. I uh, I'm not sure what you mean."

Flashing his beady eyes towards Finn's, Ken nodded his head definitely. "Finn, the love of my life decided she was too good for me - used and abused me. Decided she wanted to be danced and romanced - wanted that sneaky, back-stabbing, ballad-singing, slick-back-afro freak instead of me." Pausing to catch a breath, Ken tried to control himself. "Look, Finn, I just want you to know that I'm here for you and I understand what you're going through… If you need anything, you know where to find me. Now, hit the showers!"

As he heard Ken's heavy footsteps walk away, Finn knew he had a lot to think about.

****

Yellow.

Emma Pillsbury was in the mood for yellow.

Slipping a white cardigan over a yellow dress, Emma admired her appearance in the full length mirror of her bedroom. She pinned a coordinating yellow flower pin to the top corner of the cardigan. On her feet were a pair of perfectly shined yellow pumps with tiny white polka dots on them. Her nails were perfectly rounded, gleaming with an off-white nail polish glossed over them. She spent a lot of time on her makeup this morning, indulging in herself while Will slept in. Her hair was, as always, perfectly curled to frame her heart-shaped face.

"_We all live in a yellow submarine_…" Will's singing jarred Emma from her thoughts and she turned from the mirror, blushing. Will was standing in the doorway to her - _their _- bedroom, with only a yellow towel wrapped around his waist.

"Will!" Emma cried, a hot blush in her face. Despite her bravery in sharing a bed with Will, they hadn't seen each other undressed… yet. But she couldn't stop her eyes from scanning over his muscled stomach, even admiring - _dare she think it? _- the soft mess of hairs on his chest.

Grinning, Will knew Emma was, for lack of a better phrase, checking him out, and he was loving every second of it. He knew Emma was very, very shy in certain areas and he wasn't going to push her, but reminders of her attraction and desire for him always made him feel good. "Do you want the full tour of the submarine or…?" He joked, but stopped when Emma playfully tossed a hairbrush at him.

"We're going to be late if you don't hurry up," Emma chided lightly, picking up the hairbrush and quickly returning it to its rightful place on her dresser.

"I'm only waiting for you, my lady," Will replied, gesturing with one hand to the towel around his waist.

"Oh!" Emma blushed again and quickly glanced around the room, making sure she had everything in order. "I, I'll just head out to the front room, then." Ignoring Will's chuckles, she darted out of the room before he could wrap her into an embrace and kiss.

Once out from under Will's attentive eyes, Emma slipped on a white pea coat and a pastel yellow beret, angling it perfectly over her hair. Holding her purse, a white clutch, and her stack of paperwork, including a resume and photocopies of her degrees, Emma waited impatiently at the door for Will to get ready. She was trying not to count the seconds in her head, but she was used to being early for school and she was especially nervous today - it was the day she was going to, for lack of a more dignified action, beg for her job back.

"Ready to set sail, Captain."

Will's voice again jarred her from her thoughts and she spun around; she couldn't help but release a small gasp. "Oh, Will, you look wonderful!"

With khaki pants, a seamlessly ironed white button down shirt, and a bright yellow tie, Will couldn't possibly look any cuter to Emma. He walked over with his arms wide open and Emma threw herself into his bear hug without thinking about germs - she really wanted his contact. Pressing her face into his tie, she was happy to smell the lilac scent of her detergent on the smooth fabric. _Is there a man more perfect than he is in the entire world? _She wondered.

Nuzzling his face into her hat, Will couldn't help but grin. He knew how hard it was for Emma to even shake someone's hand, much less hug them. In truth, a part of him couldn't wait until she was ready to trust him even more, but he knew that their current state was a big step for Emma and was more than happy to wait it out. "Come on, Em, let's go get your job back."

***

Pulling into the faculty parking lot of McKinley, Emma and Will took in the same startling sights in several horrifying seconds.

First, was Ken Tanaka walking up the front steps of the high school, which nauseated Emma, although she had braced herself for it -

But Will hadn't braced himself for the next sight, which nauseated him - Finn, who he heard hadn't shown up to Glee practice, not only greeted Ken, but did so with a pat on the back and a huge grin. _Football season is over, _Will thought, and felt his stomach sink. _Ken wouldn't…_

The third, and perhaps the most terrifying, was the sight of Sue Sylvester walking across the faculty parking with a large bouquet of flowers in her hands, a box of what appeared to be chocolates tucked under one arm, and the biggest smile they had ever seen plastered across her face. And she was heading towards them.

------------

Hey guys, I just want to **thank** **everyone** for all of the reviews, alerts, and favorites! It means a lot to me that so many people read my work! Because stats tells me I've gained so many readers (which I can't get over!) I'm going to ask for consistently **ten reviews** for each chapter. I feel kind of silly asking for them, but I really do take what you guys comment to heart and any critiques on my writing, characterization, etc, really helps! Thanks everyone! Also, who knows where the title of the story is from???


	6. Chapter 6

-1"Erica! Shuester! No, no, don't scatter out of that little crapbox like the tiny mice you are, don't worry, I'll come to you!" Sue Sylvester's voice rang out across the parking lot without the help of a mega phone.

Emma and Will stared at each other in mutual horror. "I thought you told me she was let go.." Emma whispered, staring at Will with the fear clear in her eyes.

"I thought she was…" Will replied, reaching over to grab Emma's hand. He glanced out the window and saw Sue rapidly approaching - the woman moved _fast_. "Don't worry, I won't let her hassle you anymore. That part of my - of _our _- lives is definitely over." He shot her a toothy smile and she couldn't help but squeeze his hand back.

Emma opened her mouth to thank Will but a sharp knock on the roof of Will's car cut her off. Turning, Emma saw Sue's face in her window, a wide smile stretched across her tanned face. "Open up!" She mouthed, her glaringly white teeth impressing Emma even despite her fear.

Lowering the window, Emma and Will stared at Sue, speechless. "Alright group, here's the deal," Sue started, poking her head into the car, causing Emma to lean sideways towards Will. "Old Figgins fired me in what I like to call a fit of passion - certainly, after reconsidering what he's done, he regrets his decision but thinks he possesses something called pride - in reality, he's never had a shred of pride in his entire pitiful life, but hey, I'm going to be the better person and ask" Sue paused here to accentuate the word 'ask' with quotation marks in the air, narrowingly close to Emma's head, "for my job back. You, Eliza, may have a harder time." Nodding towards Emma and Will, Sue readjusted her gifts and clicked her tongue against her cheek. "Fair thee well, social rejects!" With that, she turned on her heel and marched towards McKinley High School in a form that could only be described as militaristic.

Letting out a heavy sigh, Will shook his head and rubbed his fingers around Emma's clenched fist. "After everything that's happened, I really don't think Figgins will rehire her." Emma opened her mouth to protest but Will darted his face forwards to capture her lips in a kiss. "And even if he does, it's getting your job back we're worried about, not hers."

Emma had to smile at Will's incredible optimism; he seemed to always know how to ease her nerves. "You ready to head in?" She asked quietly, reaching for her seatbelt with her free hand.

"Aye, aye, Captain." Will joked, squeezing her hand again before facing McKinley for another day.

***

"I can't believe you!" Rachel hissed, narrowing her big brown eyes upwards into Finn's slightly glazed ones.

"Can't believe what?" Finn asked, although he figured she was upset he skipped out on Glee. Confrontations always made him feel uncomfortable, and ones with Rachel were particularly awkward.

Sighing, Rachel stamped one fluorescent green flat on the hallway's tile floor. "Finn, don't play dumb with me, you know _exactly_ what I'm referring to. Trust me, I know how hard everything with Quinn and Puck is for you, but I'm telling you, Glee is here for you… We all love you guys equally, and we want you to come back." Rachel paused, her intense stare making Finn lower his eyes. "We _all _want you to come back," she repeated, her chest feeling tight. She knew Glee wouldn't be the same without Finn.

"Look, Rachel, I appreciate you talking to me but I… I don't know what I'm doing with my life right now," Finn said, uncomfortably adjusting his backpack on his shoulders. Rachel's eyes drifted to his hands and she admired the way his dark gray sweater flattered his wide shoulders. "I can't make any promises… I have a lot to think about right now."

Rachel's eyes sparkled and she remembered what she explained to the rest of the Glee Club at the practice Finn skipped. "Speaking of things to think about, there's something a little more…light-hearted that we might be able to distract you with," Rachel said, arching her eyebrows temptingly. "There's a little romance festering in the Glee Club, and it has nothing to with the students."

_Oh man, she couldn't know… _Finn's eyes grew wide and he coughed, really feeling awkward now. "Uh… Okay. I don't really know what you're talking about," he lied.

"It's Mr. Shue and Miss Pillsbury!" Rachel stated, trying not to sound impatient about his lack of knowledge. "I saw them kissing in the hallway earlier this week, and they both missed work yesterday, and - "

"Alright, well, I… I gotta go Rach, sorry." Finn sputtered, his head racing. He tried to ignore the disappointed look in her eyes and darted around her, blending in with the crowd in the hallway. He definitely had a lot to think about and wondered how he was going to make it through first period Spanish with Quinn and Mr. Shuester… _at least Rachel takes Latin_, he comforted himself.

Making it down two hallways, Finn took a sharp right without thinking too much about it; after all, it was usual route to his first class of the day. He knew he was a little earlier than usual, but he thought it would be good to sit in relax before his classmates crowded the classroom. Grabbing the doorknob, Finn fleetingly noticed that it felt a bit moist, as though it had just been wiped down. This however, wasn't what made him stumble backwards and press his back against the wall, eyes wide as saucers. It was the flash of red hair and the soft laugh of a woman that did it. As he pummeled himself down the hallway, he knew he needed some peace and quiet that didn't involve a classroom with Mr, Shue, Quinn, and irregular verbs.

He definitely had a lot to think about…

***

"You're sure you don't want me to come with you?" Will asked for the fourth time, slipping a lock of Emma's firey hair behind her ear.

"Yes, I'm sure." Emma replied, enjoying the sensation of his very slight touch. "It means a lot to me that you're so invested in my success, Will, but I think this is something I need to do myself."

Nodding, Will understood. His hand lingered around her face and he cupped her chin in his palm. "I have full faith in you, Emma… I know you'll be in the teacher's lounge for lunch with good news." In truth, Will earnestly believed Emma was very qualified for her job, but he also felt a huge pang of guilt because he knew he was half the reason she quit to begin with. If she didn't get her job back, he didn't know what he'd do…

"The teacher's lounge?" Emma's eyes darted from his and she studied their shoes - his, she happily noted, were a black leather and very clean, while her heels made the somewhat-freshly cleaned floor of the classroom look incredibly dingy. "I… I think eating lunch in my office might be my best bet for today, that is, if I even get -"

"Why your office?" Will interrupted, angling her chin back upwards towards his face. At her silence, is heart sank; he had been worried about this happening.. "If this is about Ken, don't worry. We're in this together." He leaned his lips against her forehead and shut his eyes. "Together," she whispered, her eyes fluttering shut at his touch.

"Finn, I really need to talk - _Oh my god!" _

Will and Emma both darted apart, Emma stumbling backwards against a desk and Will with arms stretched out sideways from his chest. _Oh god, not again…_

Rachel stood in the doorway of the classroom, her face flushed a deep red. "I'm so_, so _sorry," she stuttered, her eyes so large they challenged Emma's. "I.. I was just looking for Finn, I thought he had class in here.."

"No, no, Rachel, that's fine," Will stated, glancing between Emma and Rachel repeatedly. "Finn is in my first period class, which is actually starting in a few minutes…." His voice trailed off and his heart sank, if possible, even further into his stomach. He knew Emma needed him but he also knew they had to be very, _very _careful while in the school building… _Especially if Rachel keeps running into us like this! _He thought.

Seeing Rachel's incredible discomfort, Emma wanted to offer Rachel her ear and invite her to her office between classes, but she knew it wasn't her office anymore, and that technically, she was no longer part of the staff. Instead, Emma offered her a tiny, sheepish smile, her eyes beaming with apology.

"Hey, Rach, don't worry about it.. I'll tell Finn you were looking for him, alright?" Will felt extremely uncomfortable and hoped Rachel wouldn't spread the word to the rest of the Glee clubbers, but prepared himself for the worst.

"Thanks Mr. Shue," Rachel said awkwardly, her face still a hot red. "And it's good to see you, Miss Pillsbury… I hope you get your job back!" She blurted before darting from the room.

"I guess we'll have to finish this later, Captain," Will said lightly, his hand grazing hers as she began walking towards the door. "Hey," he leaned his face close to her ear, knowing he was taking a risk, "No matter what, come tell me the good news as soon as you get out."

Nodding, Emma's face was still flushed pink when she glanced into Will's warm and understanding eyes. "Thank you, Will… I'll try to meet you back here before lunch period," she said, and darted from the room, her heart racing.

"Good luck, Em," he whispered as he watched her slim form get lost in the crowd of students.

****

Bustling through the hallway, Emma desperately tried to clear her head. _Of all the luck… _She thought miserably, amazed that Rachel could catch her and Will in a compromising situation twice in a row. _Great grounds for getting my job back, _Emma continued, lost in her fearful thoughts. It wasn't until a heavy set freshmen accidentally slammed into her that she was back in reality, stumbling over her feet.

"Sorry, lady," the boy grumbled, pausing to swoop down and pick up the flower pin that fell off of her top.

"Oh, oh no, thank you, but you don't need to -" Emma began, her germ phobia rising with every second of her heightened anxiety.

"Exactly, champ, I can take over from here," said a male voice that made a tremor shoot through Emma's back. She heard the boy walk away and the bell ring, signifying first period. The last of the students scurried out of the hallway and Emma stood, still hunched, her eyes locked on those large, sweaty hands gripping onto her small yellow flower.

"We need to talk, M&M," Ken said, but his voice no longer held any warmth. Shivering, Emma slowly glanced upwards and opened her mouth to answer, but no sound came out.

Ken Tanaka was standing before her, decked in his usual tight gym ware, and clutching her pin between his fingers, not like an offering, but like a treat for a pet.

Emma arrived at school with low expectations, but even her paranoia didn't prepare her for this.

* * *

Hey everyone, I decided to update again even before I got enough reviews… First because I think this chapter brings a lot of the plot together (finally!) so I wanted to get it out there, and second because my last chapter had over a _**thousand visitors alone**_, which absolutely stuns me. So consider it a gift for the holidays.. This is a chapter I really want feedback on because I think it includes the most plot-wise and I hope ties some strings together. I know you thousand people have opinions, so let me hear them!


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